1. Field of the Invention
The present invention deals with the field of mounting pads used for supporting large pieces of equipment in external environments normally positioned on ground, earth, turf, grass, cement, asphalt or other similar common ambient substrates. Such mounting pads are preferably formed of a plastic material to maintain electrical isolation between the equipment and ground and also to maintain the equipment spaced upwardly from the ground to prevent ambient water from rainfall or minimal flooding from damaging the electrical equipment.
Such mounting pads are most commonly used to support electrical power transformers which are used currently in commonplace applications such as residential areas. Such residential areas currently utilize underground electrical wiring and the mounting pads normally provide a means to allow the electrical power transformer to have access directly to the ground immediately therebelow to pass wires and the like from the transformer to the ground while at the same time maintaining the electrical power transformer out of contact with ground and water and other external deteriorating influences that are commonplace in such ambient environments. Since most residential areas currently being constructed utilize underground electrical wiring such mounting pads are becoming increasingly more common in usage throughout the United States and elsewhere.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The present invention provides an improved apparatus for a mounting pad used for supporting and moving an electrical power transformer while positioned thereon and is distinguishable from the many prior art devices such as those shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,713,620 patented Jan. 30, 1973 to G. Tkach on a "Machine Supporting Slab"; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,722,845 patented Mar. 27, 1973 to R. Unger on a "Ground Mounting Base For Central Air Conditioner Heat Exchanger Units"; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,841,032 patented Oct. 15, 1974 to C. Grannis, III and assigned to A.B. Chance Company on an "Article And Screw Anchor-Supported, Load-Bearing Pad Therefor"; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,962,660 patented Jun. 8, 1976 to D. Duckett and assigned to RTE Corporation on a "Pallet Pad For Transformers And Transformer Affixed Thereon"; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,023,755 patented May 17, 1977 to J. Alesi, Jr. and assigned to Formex Manufacturing, Inc. on a "Transformer Mounting Pad"; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,050,659 patented Sep. 27, 1977 to R. McCannon et al on a "Transformer Pad"; and U.S. Pat. No. 1,056,251 patented Nov. 1, 1977 to J. Dixon et al on a "Lightweight Pad For Semi-Rigidly Supporting Electrical Transformers"; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,075,395 patented Feb. 21, 1978 to M. Ohnishi and assigned to Matsuchita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. on a "Hybrid Framework Consisting Of Metallic Plate And Projections Made Of Synthetic Resin"; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,189,125 patented Feb. 19, 1980 to J. Little on "Ground Support Pads For Mobile Structures"; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,212,446 patented Jul. 15, 1980 to E. Domanick et al and assigned to Johns-Manville on a "Universal Mounting Pad For Electrical Transformers"; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,213,111 patented Jul. 15, 1980 to R. Lux, Jr. and assigned to Thermodynamics Corporation on a "Ground Level Transformer Unit"; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,267,399 patented May 12, 1981 to R. Lux, Jr. and assigned to Thermodynamics Corporation on a "Transformer Pad With Cable Protective Sleeve"; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,505,449 patented Mar. 19, 1985 to G. Turner et al and assigned to Diversitech Corporation on a "Lightweight Concrete Cladded Heavy Equipment Base"; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,533,786 patented Aug. 6, 1985 to V. Borgmeyer et al and assigned to Westinghouse Electric Corp. on a "Padmounted Transformer Enclosure"; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,556,758 patented Dec. 3, 1985 to G. Warden and assigned to Westinghouse Electric Corp. on a "Padmounted Transformer"; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,559,699 patented Dec. 24, 1985 to T. Owen et al and assigned to Westinghouse Electric Corp. on a "Method Of Constructing A Padmounted Distribution Transformer"; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,869,456 patented Sep. 26, 1989 to S. Jacobs and assigned to Carson Industries, Inc. on a "Load Supporting Pad"; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,883,918 patented Nov. 28, 1989 to R. Browning and assigned to Formex Manufacturing, Inc. on a "Transformer Mounting Pad Having A Cable Opening Lined with Safety Barrier"; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,937,563 patented Jun. 26, 1990 to G. Shekita et al and assigned to International Business Machines Corporation on a "Positioning Scheme For Multiple Mounting Positions Of Input/Output Devices"; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,946,725 patented Aug. 7, 1990 to S. Harlan and assigned to Homac Mfg. Company on "Equipment Support Pad And Method"; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,963,696 patented Oct. 16, 1990 to T. Owen et al and assigned to ABB Power T&D Company, Inc. on a "Tamper Resistant Padmounted Transformer"; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,087,875 patented Feb. 11, 1992 to R. Balch et al and assigned to General Electric Company on an "Isolated High Voltage Transformer For Electric Power Meter"; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,333,830 patented Aug. 2, 1994 to F. Millen and assigned to Pacolet Concrete Company on a "Composite Equipment Support Pad"; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,401,456 patented Mar. 28, 1995 to J. Alesi, Jr. et al and assigned to Formex Manufacturing, Inc. on a "Method Of Forming A Plastic Unit Having An Outer Plastic Shell Encapsulating A Foam Core"; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,547,161 patented Aug. 20, 1996 to W. Gleich et al and assigned to Bowe Systec AG on a "Base For Machines And The Like"; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,664,394 patented Sep. 9, 1997 to J. Sweeney and assigned to DiversiTech Corporation on a "Base For Equipment"; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,686,696 patented Nov. 11, 1997 to J. Baker, Jr., et al on a "Transformer Pad"; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,728,458 patented Mar. 17, 1998 to J. Sweeney and assigned to DiversiTech Corporation on a "Light-Weight High-Strength Composite Pad"; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,739,464 patented Apr. 14, 1998 to H. Adkins et al and assigned to ABB Power T&E) Company Inc. on a "Padmounted Transformer Enclosure And Latch"; and U.S. Des. Pat. No. Des.393,518 patented Apr. 14, 1998 to L. Hampel and assigned to L.T. Hampel Corp. on a "Pallet"; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,745,973 patented May 5, 1998 to F. Kohlhaas on a "Pallet Assembly"; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,758,855 patented Jun. 2, 1998 to R. Jordan et al and assigned to Cadillac Products, Inc. on a "Pallet With Flexible Tensile Reinforcement And Method For Making The Same"; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,778,801 patented to F. Delacour on Jul. 14, 1998 on a "Forklift Pallet Made Of Plastics Material, and Method Of Manufacture"; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,784,971 patented Jul. 28, 1998 to W. Chang and assigned to Cheng Loong Corporation on a "Pallet Structure Improvement"; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,791,261 patented Aug. 11, 1998 to M. John et al and assigned to Plastic Pallet Production, Inc. on a "Modular Pallet System"; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,791,262 patented Aug. 11, 1998 to J. Knight et al and assigned to The Fabri-Form Co. on a "Reinforced Plastic Pallet.